4024 S. Tow Rd.

Sheridan, MI 48884
November 18, 2014

Mr. Mark DeKoster

Ferris State University
708 Campus Drive
Big Rapids, MI 49307

Dear Mr. DeKoster:

Since starting at Ferris in fall 2013, I have attended many on-campus employer
information sessions. The first session I attended there were approximately 50 students in
attendance. This was a great turn out and beneficial for the students, the employer, and the
college as well. Since then, I have seen attendance numbers decline drastically. I make it a point
to attend as many information sessions as I can and rarely miss an opportunity to view
prospective employers. While attending these sessions, I see the number of students attending
are dwindling, and I am concerned.
I feel that the current students, no matter their academic level, lack focus when searching
for employment. It seems as though many of them are putting in the effort to obtain a college
degree, but they are not actively pursuing employment or making adequate plans for afterwards.
From my personal experience, I have found that the employer information sessions are the best
and most effective way to learn about companies and the potential job openings that they
currently have. The students need to be more aware and more informed of the benefits these
info sessions can provide to them.
I am writing this letter to describe the attendance problem here on campus and to offer
a few solutions to resolve the matter and help increase the number of students attending these
employer info sessions. In my opinion, the college needs to do more to promote these sessions.
By promoting the info sessions, the students will benefit, the employers will continue to return,
and the college will benefit by having its graduates employed in the automotive field.

Sincerely,

Sonny Snyder

DECLINING ATTENTANCE TO EMPLOYER

INFORMATION SESSIONS

Prepared for
Mark DeKoster, Automotive Professor
and the Automotive Department
Ferris State University

Prepared by
Sonny J. Snyder
Automotive Management Student
Ferris State University

November 18, 2014

TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY1
INTRODUCTION2
BACKGROUND OF THE PROBLEM2
The Employers2
The Students3
DECLINING ATTENDANCE TO EMPLOYER INFORMATION SESSIONS3
RECOMMENDATIONS..3
ACTION PLAN..3
ACTIVITIES FOR THE MEETING.4
START EARLY4
NETWORK..4
REQUIRE ATTENDANCE FOR GRADE POINTS.5
CONCLUSION..5
APPENDIX I6
WORKS CITED.7

Executive Summary
Declining attendance to employer information sessions
This report summarizes a concern regarding declining student attendance to employer
information sessions in the Automotive Department. The Automotive Department schedules
several potential employers to come to campus throughout the semester. These
employers/companies present their business to the students with the intent to seek out
potential candidates to hire. However, student attendance is generally low and appears to be
declining, or sporadic, at best. Another concern that coincides with declining employer info
session attendance is the lack of students pursuing internships and/or job opportunities after
graduation.
The focus of the students appears to be in the wrong place. The trend that I see is that
students fail to recognize the importance of networking with employers early in their college
career. These information sessions offer a great opportunity acclimate students with future
employers. Students appear to be focused on their classes, but fail to see that it is important to
seek and explore the available jobs in the automotive market today. I have interviewed several
students to ask their reasoning for not attending these information sessions. Their reasons
widely vary from, I was too busy, to I just forgot. Importance of these networking
opportunities is lacking in the students.
To begin the process of increasing employer information session attendance, the college
should start by hosting a launch meeting. This meeting will include of all the automotive majors,
and consist of informing the students of the importance of a career search and networking
opportunities. This meeting should be held at the beginning of each semester, within the first
week of class. The meeting should give a broad overview of the benefits of information
sessions, as well as specifics regarding network techniques. The meeting should also cover
interviewing tips and have a block of time open with career services to schedule mock
interviews.

Introduction
It goes without saying that the goal of most college graduates before graduation day is
to secure a good paying job where they can begin a career and be successful. Most students do
not simply want a job, but employment where they can put to good use the knowledge and
skills they have acquired and paid for during their college career. In the Automotive
Management program at Ferris State University, students are scrambling during the last few
weeks of classes of their final semester trying to obtain employment. Students may be able to
eliminate the last-minute employment surge and relieve the stress of finding a job by
participating in the following:
1. Attend on campus employer information sessions to learn about potential
employers and to sign up for a free interview.
2. Utilize networking opportunities more, earlier in a students college years,
instead of waiting until senior year or even second semester of senior year to
network.
3. Apply to more than just a job or two. Students should utilize the job fair and
expand their search. By talking with potential employers, students may find that
employers offer jobs that they didnt even know existed and may find interest in.

Background of the Problem

The main problem in the Automotive Department is the attendance, or lack thereof, to
many of the employer information sessions presented on campus. Various potential employers
attend campus, sometimes weekly, in search of automotive students to interview and hire. This
would seem, from an outside perspective, a potentially quick way into some of these
companies for students needing employment after graduation, but the students are not taking
full advantage of the opportunity.
A large part of the problem seems to be student interest. From my perspective, it seems
that most students have very little intensity when it comes to finding the employment that they
have worked so hard in college for. Their focus seems to be in the wrong place. Yes, students
must focus on their classes at hand, but they must also realize there is life after graduation
date. Students seem to take the approach that their dream job is just going to show up one day
once their degree is obtained. Students also seem to be oblivious to the value that these
information sessions can provide for future employment.

The Employers:
In the current semester there are over 10 employers scheduled to visit campus and
present their company in the form of an information session, some of which have already been
to campus, and others who are scheduled in the future before the end of the semester. In
addition to these information sessions, some companies have arranged through Career Services
to come on campus and perform only interviews for current positions open within their
company.

Through these information sessions and interview opportunities, students have

opportunities to meet and interview with several great companies. Some of these companies
are from here in Michigan, but many others travel from out of state, even from as far as
Atlanta, Georgia to recruit for their company. This is a big expense to the company and is a very
important part of each companies hiring and selection process.

The Students:
Past graduates of the program, now working in the automotive industry, relay on Ferris
State University to produce quality automotive technology students. After graduation, these
students are qualified and prepared to enter into the automotive industry. The past Automotive
and Heavy Equipment major also brought several agriculture and transportation companies to
Ferris in search of qualified candidates to service semi-trucks, construction/excavation
machinery, and farming equipment.

Declining attendance to employer information sessions

I interviewed several senior level students and asked why they did not attend many of
the information sessions presented on campus. They gave several reasons. Some gave the
reason that the company giving the information session was not a company that they were
interested in working for. Another senior stated that he had a specific class scheduled at the
same time as the information session. Others, simply said they were planning to come, but just
got too busy and ran out of time. One student stated he made plans to attend a particular
session by an out of state employer, but fell asleep during the afternoon and did not wake up in
time for the session.
While some of these reasons for not attending employer information sessions are
legitimate, many of them simply seem to lack awareness as to the true meaning and value to
attending these sessions. Employment focus is extremely lacking on the part of many students
and their focus is clearly in the wrong place. This in turn can give a bad impression to the
employers traveling to campus and may adversely affect their decision to return to campus in
the future.

Recommendations
After analyzing the current situation I have formulated some ideas/recommendations
for increasing participation and attendance to employer information session in the automotive
department.

Action Plan: Hold an information session Launch Meeting.

At the beginning of each semester, particularly in the first week, I recommend that the
Automotive Department hold a mandatory meeting for all Automotive Management,
Automotive Technology, and Automotive Engineering students. Regardless of their academic
year, students should be required to attend. The meeting should be approximately an hour long
with and upbeat and professional atmosphere.

Meeting details:

This meeting should be held twice during the week to accommodate for differing
schedules.
Invite a business owner/employer to be a special speaker in the meeting and fill in the
students with the state of the industry and give the importance of networking and job
searching early in college semesters.
Have a past graduate speak at the meeting and reflect on his/her time on campus to
give validation to job searching and networking while a student.

Activities for the meeting:

1. Give details regarding the purpose of an employer information session and how to
prepare before attending. Explain to the students, that by researching an employer
before an info session, they can prepared to ask educated questions when the time is
appropriate.
2. Explaining to the students the importance of maintaining a respectable GPA as they will
need this for some employer interviews. Encourage each and every student to study and
put forth a respectable effort and give examples of success stories when possible.
3. Encouraging the students to attend several, if not all, information sessions to gain a
broad knowledge of the possible jobs available in the automotive industry. Students
may look at employer and have little or no interest in a particular employer while on
campus. However, as careers and individual interests change, the knowledge the gained
through an info session could give them a place to start if a career or job change is
needed.
4. Networking tips and strategies. Encourage the students to start a networking tree.
Networking activities will increase and strengthen the size of their tree and expand the
possibilities of future employment.
5. Interviewing tips and strategies. Schedule a meeting time where career services can
speak to all students and help set them up for success when the time for interviewing.

Start Early:
One solution to the problem begins by starting at the beginning with each student.
Whether as a freshmen or a student transferring from another college, each student must be
informed and educated of the valuable opportunities offered to them through these employer
information sessions. These students can be brought up to speed during the launch meeting.

Network:
President of Career Horizons Matt Youngquist, states in an online job search article that
networking is essential (Kaufman 1.) Networking is extremely critical during a students college
tenure, and is a necessary part when pursuing employment. Research conducted by
AfterCollege (a career website), states that students are not do enough of their own networking
(Adams 1.) Students will meet new people and industry professionals by attending more

information sessions. These connections will help enhance their personal network and get them
closer to the job they are searching for. It all starts by attending information sessions.

Require Attendance for grade points:

Sometimes students do not know what is best for them and need a little help prioritizing
beneficial activities. Requiring attendance to an allotted amount of sessions will incentivize
students to attend employer info sessions by offering class participation points to attend at
least 3 info sessions per semester. Once they are required to go, students may see the
importance and value of attendance and then may attend on their own in the future.

Conclusion
I have observed that student attendance to employer information sessions is declining
in recent semesters. Action should be taken to stop the decline and to begin to build student
awareness regarding the importance of networking and job searching. Holding mandatory
meetings to inform students will help them create a bigger picture of their future career.
Offering other incentives for information session attendance may also help to jumpstart each
students participation.
End results desired:
1. To increase student attendance to employer information sessions.
2. To create a greater student awareness of the benefits of networking.
3. To create a greater combined image of the Ferris Automotive Program and its students.

Appendix I
Employer Information Sessions:
Ferris State University welcomes many different employers throughout the course of the
semester to present their company to current students. These companies usually present their company
in the form of an information session with the purpose of searching for and hiring qualified candidates
for open positions. A current problem with the automotive management students is getting them to
attend these employer information sessions. Below gives a brief overview regarding employers,
students, and attendance of these information sessions.
Average employer information sessions on campus per semester: 10-12
Average Attendance: 5 - 40
Why students should attend info sessions.

To gain awareness of the possible jobs on the current market.

To gain possible employment.
Possibly to find out what jobs you DONT want.
To keep potential employers coming back for future students.
Network with professionals in the automotive field.

Reasons students gave as to why they did not attend certain info sessions.

I have no interest in working for XYZ Company.

I had a class scheduled at the same time as the information session.
I planned to attend, but fell asleep during the afternoon and did not wake up in time.
I was busy with fraternity activities.
I forgot.
I thought it was at 7pm. (Session was at 6pm)
I didnt know there was an info session scheduled.

Suggested changes to increase information session attendance.

Do a better job of informing the students the value and benefits of attending.
Make it a requirement that a student attend a minimum number of information sessions as part
of a class grade.
Educate students so that even if they do not want to work for the company giving the session,
they may learn some knowledge about that company that will help them in the future during
their career.

Works Cited:

Adams, Susan. "5 Mistakes College Job Seekers Make." Forbes, 22 Apr 2013. Web. 8 Nov 2014.

Guntheir, Eathen. Telephone Interview. 5 Nov 2014.

Kaufman, Wendy. "A Successful Job Search: It's All About Networking." NPR, 3 Feb 2011. Web. 8
Nov 2014.
Yazdanbakhsh, Mohammad. Personal Interview. 7 Nov 2014.